Woodview – Hampshire/Wiltshire border

CHALLENGE

A Savills private client purchased an eight acre piece of woodland with two open glades and a small bungalow, with a plan to replace the dwelling with a contemporary home suitable for the wooded setting and accommodated the former quarry site with its steeply sloping sides.

SOLUTION

The five bedroom, four bathroom house over three floors was designed working closely with our client’s aspirations and budget. The lower ground floor, partially dug into the sloping site, has a guest suite, living room, indoor heated swimming pool, cinema room and more. A light filled spiral staircase rises through the building, the main entrance ground floor level sees the main living rooms, open plan living, dining and kitchen spaces with roof terraces extending out into the open glade southwards. The northern parts have a studio and office space. To the first floor are four bedrooms, each with en-suites and full height windows with dual and triple aspects of the surrounding wooded setting.

A robust Design and Access Statement was created that focused hard on the enhancements of the landscape as the new dwelling is significantly larger than the bungalow it replaces, with a view that a planning refusal and appeal might be likely. However, planning permission was granted, and work began.

RESULTS

A highly reputable builder was awarded the contract as an open book cost plus arrangement as work started.

The form of the house is two opposing roofs that meet in the centre valley, being the main circulation of the building. The ground floor is clad with porcelain ceramic tiles in darker textural earthy colours, whilst the first floor is clad with vertical timber systems that mimic the colours of the trees. The colour of the triple glazed windows is dark bronze colour again to mimic the tree bark.  

The house nears completion and is a feast for the eyes when walking around the house in its setting as well as the interior.